Best Birthday
by AmanitaMuscaria
Summary: Severus never celebrates his birthday. Until now.


"Happy birthday!" Harry dropped a kiss to the high, pale forehead which was all he could see of his lover.  
The cocoon of sheets, duvet and pillows wound tighter and 'humph'ed.  
Harry insinuated an arm and leg into the pile of bedding, finding warm flesh eventually. With a little coaxing, the covers parted to admit one rather short, skinny, agile young man.  
After awhile, the covers slid to the ground, unnecessary for the warmth the two were generating.  
When Severus eventually dropped back into his pile of pillows, and Harry sprawled on the rucked sheets, there was peaceful silence for some minutes.  
"We'll have to get up," Harry murmured into his lover's sweaty neck.  
"Mpfh," was the response, as Severus dragged the duvet back over them and pulled Harry into his arms.  
"No, really; we need to get up. I'll get breakfast."  
When he carried the tray back in, the cocoon had reformed, and soft snoring issued from it.  
Putting Severus's black coffee on the bedside table, he dropped another kiss on the high forehead.  
"Mpfh! We've already done that; insatiable boy."  
"Come on, sit up. I've got a surprise for you."  
"As I said, we have already done that. It was not a dream, was it?"  
One dark eye opened, peering up at him anxiously.  
Harry grinned. "No, that was real enough. I've got another surprise. One that requires you to be on your feet and dressed."  
"Don't need another surprise. Don't want another surprise."  
"But you're going to get one. When's the last time anyone did anything for your birthday?"  
Severus's eyes widened in panic.  
"Harry, I - who told you it was my birthday?"  
"Minerva. She didn't do it willingly, I worked on her for weeks before she told me," He added hastily, seeing the dark glower start to form.  
"She should not have told you," Severus said shortly, sitting up and seizing the coffee mug. His lips thinned as he stared into the black depths.  
"Oh, please? What can it hurt if I know? Should I have signed the Official Secrets Act?" He cutched up to the stiff man, trying to recapture the relaxed bliss of earlier.  
"I do not like the fuss. I have never felt that the day of my birth was anything to celebrate."  
"Well, I happen to think it iis/i something to celebrate. I want to celebrate your birthday. I want to celebrate my birthday. I never got to celebrate it when I was - well, I'd like to celebrate yours."  
And he sat up in the bed and picked up his toast.  
"I'm not cleaning the crumbs out; you can lie on them if you like, but don't expect me to."  
Harry studied the man from beneath lowered lashes. He was obviously upset, and just as obviously, was not going to tell him why.  
"Severus? It's not a surprise birthday party, if that's what you're afraid of?"  
"Who said I was afraid?" came snapping back, but Harry noted the set shoulders relaxed minutely.  
"Have I ever done anything - no, wait, don't answer that. Would I do anything inow/i to upset you? I think you'll like this. Come on, get dressed and come with me. I'll do that thing with the icecubes tonight, if you'd like?" he added, saw the little twitch in the corner of Severus's lips, and bit his smile down firmly - now was not the time to blow it.  
"Severus? It's got a library .."  
"Well, why didn't you say so to begin with? It's an educational trip that you've planned, though how you could have managed that, I'm sure I can't imagine."  
A whirlwind of black -  
"Er, muggle clothes?"  
He received a level stare, but the robes were exchanged for a black jacket and trousers, and his man was standing there, impatiently tapping his foot.  
"You might be content to lay abed all day, but I'd like to see this - surprise."

As Harry stared at the Egyptian hieroglyphs in the case, Severus moved behind him and murmured, "Tutankhamun and his sister, Ankhesenamen, have offered bread and oil to the god Aten-Ra," in his ear.  
Harry shivered to feel the warm breath, the firm lips brush the shell of his ear.  
"What -" his voice came croaky, and he cleared his throat, "Can you read hieroglyphs?"  
"Mmm. I spent a year studying them intensively. The Egyptians had many preservative and curative potions."  
Harry gazed up at the dark, intense eyes, focused into the case. The eyes moved to lock with his, and the sudden warmth rushed through him.  
"Why," the dark voice murmured, "did you wish to come here?"  
Harry blushed.  
"I had a teacher, she talked about the Tutenkhamun Exhibition. I - couldn't go."  
The warm dark eyes returned to gazing at the hieroglyphics. The man's arms came around his waist, and Harry took a long, shuddering breath in.  
When he let it out, the hands dropped to his hips.  
"The pharoah brings the grain to the people. The pharoah gives the grain in ..."

The dark voice rolled on and on, and Harry lost himself in it, feeling the closeness, the comfort, the security of those arms, that body.  
"Here; this is ancient wizard lore right here."  
The voice began naming ingredients, processes, pouring soothing words on the clenched pain Harry had forgotten he'd felt.  
"You have had your surprise, now I believe it is my turn. I am taking you out to dinner," Severus announced as they stood on the steps of the British Museum in the gathering evening gloom.  
"I should treat you; it's still your birthday."  
"Nevertheless, I insist on feeding you tonight. Take hold."  
Harry took the proffered arm, Severus pulled him closer, and suddenly he felt the jerk of a portkey.

When he opened his eyes, feeling a bit queasy, he gaped, speechless.  
His remaining queasiness was not helped by the rocking of the felucca, but Severus led him to a tent-like affair on the deck, and ushered him inside. The small warm space was filled with cushions, hung with colourful rugs, incense burners and a hookah stood by. Severus lowered himself to the cushions and raised a hand and eyebrow to Harry, inviting him to join him.  
Cushioned on Severus's chest, he wondered about the promise of dinner, when a House Elf appeared with a large tray which he silently placed before them. Another Elf brought tall cool glasses, filling them from an apparatus on its back.  
The Elves bowed and vanished.  
The boat rocked gently.  
Severus fed Harry and himself in turn, taking morsels of meat and vegetables from the tray, leaning down to share kisses tasting of spices. The Elves returned to remove the platter and place silver bowls of sharbat before them.  
Severus pulled Harry back to nestle in the cushions with him, moving across his heated skin with hands and lips.  
"And now," Severus murmured in his ear -  
The tent vanished, and in the moonlight, giant figures lined the banks.  
"Come," Severus was standing, holding out his hand to draw Harry upright, into his arms.  
They left the boat, the river, and ghosted across the moonlit sands, silent and filled with wonder until that aeons-old guardian the Sphinx roared out her challenge, and the pyramids rose behind her, strange and silver-grey against the myriad-starred black sky.  
They stood hand in hand, lost in awe at the sight, dreaming of processions and rites carried out under the view of this same moon, these identical stars.  
Severus apparated them both back in easy stages, Harry being too moon- and star-struck to manage, and their bed seemed to Harry to have something of the motion of a felucca before Severus bent to whisper in his ear, "I believe I may take to celebrating birthdays if they turn out to be such culturally interesting events."  
"Well, I believe I may have to stay with a man so culturally accomplished as to be able to talk to a Sphinx in the original Egyptian."  
"Hm. Your birthday is next, I believe.".


End file.
